When reeling in a fish caught on a hook, in particular a large fish such as a blue bill or tuna, there is difficulty in bringing the fish to the surface and then along side the boat where it can be gaffed or grabbed by a grappling hook. This is due to the fact that after the main fight is over, the fish often lies somewhat exhausted twenty or more feet below the surface. If sharks are in the area the fish is prey to them in this condition and may be lost to the fisherman. It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a device to retrieve a large fish before it can be reeled in within the reach of a conventional gaffing hook. The only prior attempts at this general operation known to applicant are illustrated in the Holling U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,608, where a dip net is released down a fishing line to snare a fish or a grappling device is lowered down the fishing line as in Puckett U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,662 or Matthews U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,053. These prior art systems are entirely adequate for retrieving small fish but with the larger fish they are not useful.